By Wishes Diva
We are currently gearing up to take our kids to Walt Disney World again. For my older kiddo, it’s his second trip, but for my little girl, it’s her first! For my son’s first trip there are some characters and movies he was familiar with, but definitely a lot he hadn’t been exposed to. So before this trip, my husband and I made a list of movies we wanted to be sure the kids watched at least once before heading to the parks.
The list below are my family’s suggestion for movies to watch before taking your first trip to Magic Kingdom!
- Aladdin (G)- I would recommend the original animated version since this is the version that the Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride is based on. This movie will prep you for that very ride as long as you pay attention during the “A Whole New World” scene. Complete with the magic lamp and spitting camel, this attraction is a fun twist on the aerial carousel type attraction.
- Pirates of the Caribbean (PG-13)- This whole franchise is undoubtedly entertaining! As far as the attraction at Magic Kingdom goes, the first movie (The Curse of the Black Pearl) will give you enough context for the ride!
- Little Mermaid (G)- One of my favorite attractions in Fantasyland is Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid. There is just something about riding “under the sea” in a clamshell that brings out my childhood. Watching the Little Mermaid is definitely a must for this attraction, as it retells the movie as you ride along.
- Swiss Family Robinson (G)- Not gonna lie, this one was a stretch for my kids to watch. No animation and no catchy tunes? No way! But I add it to our list because if you plan on spending any time at all at the Swiss Family Tree House, watching this movie is the only way to give your kids context for what the purpose of the treehouse is!
- Cinderella (G)- The 1950 animated version is the perfect prep for walking down Main Street. This movie also serves as a great precursor for the carrousel that is found directly behind the castle as well!
- Dumbo (G)- Again, stick to the original animated version. This fun big top story will definitely give your family plenty of context for the Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
- Alice in Wonderland (G)- Any version of this silly story will give your family a great basis for the Mad Tea Party attraction. The ride was created with the original animated movie in mind, so you will see nods to those characters in and around the attraction!
- Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (G)- This movie gives you all the context you need for the ride of the same name. The great thing about this movie and attraction is the storylines in both are the same! In the attraction, you will ride through each scene from the movie so as long as you’ve watched it once- you’ll be good to go!
- Fantasia (G)- While there is no Fantasia specific ride at Magic Kingdom, if you plan on checking out Mickey’s Philharmagic, Fantasia will give you context for a few of the scenes featured in the 4-D experience!
- Peter Pan (G)- Another instance where you’ll want to stick to the original animated version. Peter Pan’s Flight attraction is 100% this movie, from the diorama-like scenes to the interactive queue. This is definitely a family favorite- movie and attraction alike!
- Snow White- If you’ve got older kiddos that will be riding Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, then you’ll definitely want to make sure they’ve seen this. Although the rollercoaster itself is entertaining and fun regardless of if you’re familiar with the movie, you’ll lose some of the magic if you can’t understand the mining scene or the dancing scene in the cottage at the end!
- Haunted Mansion (PG)- This movie is not one of my regularly viewed Disney feature films, however, I do think it adds a nice familiarity to the attraction if you’ve seen the movie. The star of the show in the movie, in my opinion, is Madame Leota and her scene in the attraction is so much more special and recognizable after viewing the movie!
- Toy Story (G)- This one is for your space adventurers that want to take a shot at Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. Although there is no need to have seen Toy Story before going on this attraction, it certainly helps with the storyline and enhances your ability to pick up on the little nuances of the queue line and different game areas in the attraction itself!
Well, there you have it! My comprehensive list of movies to watch before visiting Magic Kingdom. Set aside some time for these, and your travel companions are more likely to become fully immersed in your visit!
Now you are ready to plan your trip to the Magic Kingdom, contact Patricia from All for Dreams Travel today!
